Quiet generator recommendations?

[tmsnyder]

Does anyone have any first hand experience with a new, modern, quiet generator? 


My 6.5kw onan runs like a champ but man is it loud.   When it came to me, stock / original, it had no muffler, just a straight pipe down and out the side.  No wonder it only had 11 hours on it! I added a muffler from TSC which made it bearable, and while camping I slip on another muffler from a 16hp kohler that was kicking around my garage.  But I still feel bad for my neighbors. 


Considering getting a small quiet one, the Honda EU2000i generators are very nice and pretty darn quiet, but ~$1000.  And they've been around a while, it seems quite a few competing brands have come on the market in the meantime.   2000 watts seems like overkill to charge the house batteries and kids electronics.   Anyone make a super quiet 500 - 1000 watt generator?


Considered solar but I try to camp in the shade whenever possible and I don't want to deal with dragging out and tending to panels.

[BrianB]

I hit a lot of campgrounds on our 10,000 mile trip this summer. Seems like any of the small portable ones are pretty quiet.


No specific recommendation on an actual unit, but if it were me, I would see what I thought I wanted and then find an independent dealer that sells them (i.e. not Big Box store) and go there and see if they have a demo model they can start up and show you. Good places to check would be independent lawn mower dealers.

[legomybago]

I had a Honda EU1000 I took in on trade once....Beautiful piece of equipment, but it wouldn't even power a hand held electric drill!! It was only good for charging small items, but the EU Honda series are real quiet...A EU2000 would be good for all around small item use I would think.